Pipe organ



Patented Mar. 17, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PIIE ORGAN Application filed December 18, 1929. Serial No. 414,843.

The invention relates to pipe organs, and consists in a coordination of means, whereby from a single wind-box one or another pipe will on the pressing of the corresponding key be sounded, according as one or another of a series of stops has previously been drawn out. The objects in view are simplicity of structure and certainty of operation.

In the accompanying drawings Fig. I is a diagrammatic View showing in cross-section the wind-box of an organ and an associated plurality of organ pipes. The organization of the means employed for causing one or another of these pipes to speak when the corresponding key upon the organ manual is depressed, in which organization the present invention is found, is here presented in such diagrammatic showing. Fig. II is a fragmentary view showing in side elevation a stop which may be shifted axially from one to another position to control for each pipe the means for causing it to speak; and Fig. III is a fragmentary view showing diagrammatically a key of the organ manual, and in dicating means associated therewith for rendering the wind'box effective to cause the pipes of a corresponding stop to speak.

The wind-box 1 may be of any preferred form. In association with it a plurality of pipes is provided. In this instance four pipes, 2, 3, 4, and 5, are shown. These pipes will be understood to be all of one pitch, but to constitute each an element of a separate stop of the organ. That is to say,--an organ being regarded as an association of a plurality of instruments or, in usual language, stops,each of these pipes, 2, 3, 4, and 5, is to be regarded as a component pipe of one of those instruments, and each is a component of an instrument different from those instru-' ments of which the other pipes are components. When the appropriate key is depressed one of these pipes speaks and that pipe and that pipe only will speak which Is part of the stop which at the time has been brought into service. It should of course be explained further that if two or more stops have been brought simultaneously into service, then on the depressing of the appropriate key, a plurality of the pipes 2, 3, 4i, and

may speak simultaneously. But for simplicity of explanation the stops may be assumed to be brought into service singly.

Each pipe is controlled by a valve 6. WVhen the valve 6 opens, communication is established betwen the wind-box and the pipe, air flows from the wind-box through the pipe, and the pipe speaks.

Each valve 6 is subject to pneumatic con trol, and to that end is integrated with a pressure plate, conveniently in the form of a diaphragm 7 closing a chamber 9. A spring 8 is provided which normally holds the pressure plate extended and the valve in seated position. The chamber 9, of which the pressure plate constitutes one wall, communicates through a lead 10 with a manifold chamber 11, and manifold chamber 11, through ports controlled by the double valve 12, 13, cominunicates alternately with the open air and the Wind-box 1. In contrast to the usual practice of forming ports and passages from each diaphragm chamber (such as the chamber 9) through the walls of the wind-box to an associated manifold, we connect the diaphragm chambers of all of the pipes of a single windboX to a single manifold, and this is done by means of rubber tubing. That is to say, the manifold 11 serves for all of the illustrated pipes 2, 3, 4t, 5. lVe arrange the manifold ll within the wind-box 1, and. form the leads 19 of lengths of tubing, advantageously of rub ber. Rubber tubing does not vibrate to cause undesirable sounds during the operation of the organ. Rubber tubing is cheap to install, and affords lines of communication which are readily accessible for inspection. The lower portion of each chamber 9 (otherwise formed of wood) is conveniently formed of metal, and is provided with a nipple 91 to which tubing may be attached to form the line of communication 10.

On the lower portion 90 a valve 14 is seated for controlling the line of communication 10, and this valve alternately is drawn aside, leaving the line of communication open, or remains free to serve as a check valve, preventing flow through lead 10 in direction from the diaphragm chamber 9 to the manifold 11. In the figure the valve 14 which is associated with pipe 2 is shown in such drawn-aside position; the valve which is associated with pipe 3 is shown in position to serve as a check valve, to prevent flow from that diaphragm chamber 9 toward the manifold 11. 7

The valve 14 then is so disposed that in its two positions it acts either as a check valve, preventing flow from diaphragm chamber 9' through lead 10', or' (alternatively) it closes chest 15. Chest 15 is a pneumatic chest, under the control of one of the stops 26 of the organ manual. When the corresponding stop is draw out (the drawn-out position is inchcated in dotted lines in Fi II), a condition of reduced pressure is established within the chest 15. This condition is such as to draw valve 141 to the position of closure upon chest" 15"(the position shown in the drawing to the left, in the case of the valve associated with" 2 and in that position it continues, so

pipe

as the stop remains in drawn-out posi- V the chest 15 either with the wind boX- 1 or with the open air. By any suitable means, not shown, but easily to be understood, the double valve 28 may be made torespond to the stop 26, to; the end that so long the stop 23 is in the full line position, shown in Figure II, the valve 29 shall be effective to maintain communication between the chest 15 and the wind box 1. and when the stop 26 is shifted from the full line to the dotted line pos' (1011, the valve 29, in response to such shifting, cuts ofl" connnu'nicati-on between the chamber 15 and the wind box 1, and opens con'nntniication between the c lumber 1'5 and the open air. Inasmuch as at all other times the pressure in chamber 15' is super-atmospheric, when the chamber 15 is so vented to the open air there is diminution of pressure, and inasmuch as the pressure at the time in the chamher9 and the pipe connection is super-atmospheric,the effect ofso venting the chamber to the open air will be to cause the valve 1 1 to rise to the position shown to the left in Figure I. When the associated parts are in this position, Jipe 2 will speak upon the depression of the appropriate key in the organ manual.

The double valve 12, 13 is controlled by a pressure plate, conveniently in the form of a diaphragm 16, which constitutes one wall o't an ancillary wind-b0): 17. On one side the diaphragm 16 is exposed to the atmosphere, on the other side it is exposed to the pressure which obtains in ancillary windboX 17. A passage 30 from ancillary windbox 17 is normally in communication by means of ports 31 and 32 with the manifold 11. Ancillary wind-box 17 may be opened to the atmosphere through a vent 33, which vent is controlled by an inwardly-opening valve 18. An electro-magnet 19' when energized is eFective to unseat valve 18 from the vent 33 and to seat it to close port 31. Magnet 19 is energized by the depressing of the appro- "priatekey of'the manual of the organ. That is to say, for example, the key 21 ot the manual of the organ is depressed to the position indicated by broken-lines in Fig; III, and a contact strip 21 on the key is moved to bear upon the contacts 23. Conductors 25 pass to a convenient source of electrical energy and thence to the electrical'terminals 20' of the magnet 19, whereupon, by depressing the key 21, the contact strip 24 electrically unites the contacts- 23, completing an electrical circuit. and ei'iergi'zin'g. the magnet 19.

Fig. l of the drawings shows the parts in position, ready for playing. Wind-chests 1 and 17 are filled with air at super-atmospheric pressure. The stop to which pipe 2 is responsive has been drawn out, and in consequence a conditi'on of reduced pressure has been established in the chest 15 associated therewit h-.- The corresponding valve 14: has accordingly been drawn upward, closing chest 1 5 But leaving lead 10 open, from cha1n ber.9 tomanifold 11. The double valve 12, 1'3 stands in such position that the manifold 11 in open communication with wind-box 1.

The parts being in this position, when the appropriate key of the organ manual is depressed electromagnet 19 is energized. The energizili'g' of the magnet causes the shifting of valve 18 to close communication through port 31 between auxiliary wind-box 17 and manifold 11, and to open comi'i'iunicati-on from auxiliary wind-box 17 through vent 3-3' to the atmosphere. Thereupon'the super-at mospheric pressure within wind-bolt 1, effective upon valve part 12, causes a left-toright shifting of the compound valve 12', 13, aclos'ure of valve 13, an opening of valve 12, an'da venting of manifold 11 to the? open air.

Thereuoon the su )er-at'mos )he'ric oressure" l l within wind-box 1 will be effective, overcoming the force of spring 8, to depress diaphragtni 7, and to open valve 6. Wind will then blow through pipe 2 and the pipe will speak. The supply of compressed air to wind-box 1 being unfailing, the pipe will continue to speak, so long as the key c'o'ntinues to be depressed.

When the key is released the valv' 'e 18 will fall away, opening port 31 and closing vent There'upon pressure will accumulate in auxiliary wind-box 17, diaphragm 16 will fee ing communication from be shifted; the compound valve 12, 13 will return to the position shown in the drawing; pressure in manifold 11 and in wind-box 1 will be equalized, and spring 8 will be ef fective to close valve 6; and pipe 2 will be silent.

With particular attention to pipe 3 and its associated parts, the stop with which this pipe is associated has not been drawn out. Accordingly the corresponding valve 14 remains free, and acts as a check valve in lead 10. "When, following upon the depression of the key of the organ manual the manifold 11 is vented to the air, valve 14 will continue in closed position, and there will be no such disturbance of pressure as to render spring 8 ineffective. Valve 6 will continue closed, and pipe 3 will not speak.

As the stops are shifted one or more of the pipes 2, 3, 4t, 5 may be caused to speak, when the appropriate key is depressed. The arrangement of the manifold 11 within the wind-box is of great advantage in minimizing the number and lengths of the passages necessary. It should be noted that a single manifold has been provided for all of the pipes of the wind-box, and, in general, that the instrumentalities for causing the pipes to speak are so organized as to simplify construction and minimize cost.

In the course of this specification the word stop has been used with two distinct significations; but the double meaning prevails in the art, and is unavoidable. The context makes plain in each case, with which meaning the word is used. In one sense the word means a group of pipesa fraction of the organ*; in the other sense it means the manually controlled member on the organ manual, by the shifting of which a particular group of pipes is brought into operative relationship.

e claim as our invention:

1. In a pipe organ the combination of a wind-box, a plurality of pipes communicating with said wind-box, a corresponding plurality of chambers closed by pressure plates which pressure plates externally are subject to wind-box pressure, and a corresponding plurality of valves connected severally to said pressure plates and movable to open and close communication from the wind-box to the said pipes severally, a manifold chamber, conduits from the pressure plate chambers to said manifold chamber, means for establishsaid manifold chamber alternately to said wind-box and to the open air, said means including an auxiliary wind-box with a pressure plate in its wall, an orifice opening from said auxiliary wind-box, a valve controlling said orifice and an electro-magnet controlling said valve, a plurality of low pressure chests correspond ing in number to said pressure plate chambers and communicating one with each of the conduits leading from said chambers, and a plurality of valves arranged one in each of said conduits and serving normally as out wardly closing check valves and movable in response to a condition of reduced pressure in the said chests from position for such normal service.

2. In a pipe organ the combination of a wind-box, a plurality of pipes associated with said wind-box, a plurality of pneumatic pressure chambers associated one with each of said pipes and each including a movable pressure plate, the pressure plate in its movement controlling communication be tween the wind-box and the pipe, a mani fold chamber, conduits leading from each of the said pneumatic pressure chambers to said manifold chamber, a check valve in each of said conduits movable to and from checking position, stop-operable means associated with each of said waves and adapted to move the valve from checking position, and kev controlled means for establishing communication from said manifold chamber alternately to the open air and to the wind-box.

3. In a pipe organ the combination with a key and a stop, of a wind-box, a pipe in communication with the wind-box, a valve controlling such communication, a chamber closed by a pressure plate with which pressure plate said valve is connected, said pressure plate on its outer side being exposed to wind-box pressure, said chamber being formed with a metal base portion, a conduit of rubber tubing leading from said chamber, a valve arranged on said base portion for controlling flow through said conduit and movable to and from a position to serve as a check valve, means responsive to depression of said key for venting said conduit to the open air, and means responsive to a shift ing of said stop for moving the valve in said conduit from its check-valve serving position.

4. In a pipe organ the combination with a key and a plurality of stops, of a windbox, a plurality of pipes in communication with the wind-box, a plurality of valves each controlling one such communication, a plurality of chambers closed by pressure plates with each of which pressure plates one of said valves is connected, said pres sure plates on their outer sides being exposed to wind-box pressure, a. plurality of rubber conduits leading severally from said chambers, said chambers being formed with metal base portions, a plurality of valves arranged one on each of said base portions for controlling said conduits and movable to and from position to serve as check valves in said conduits, means responsive to depression of said key for venting said conduits to the open air, and a plurality of means re sponsive severally to the shifting of one of said stops for moving the valve in one of the said conduits from its check-valve servi-ng position.

5. In apipe' organ the combination of a wind-box, a pipe communicating with said Wind-box, a chamber closed by a pressure plate, a valve connected to said pressure plate to open and: close communication P from the Wind-box to the pipe, a manifold,

and a conduit of rubber tubing from said 70 chamber to said manifold.

6. In a pipe organ the combination of a Wind-box, a plurality of pipes communicating with said windbox, a corresponding plu-' rali-ty of chambers closed by pressure plates,

F1; and a corresponding plurality of valves connected' severally to said pressure plates and movable to open and close communicationfronr the Wind-box to the said pipes severally, a manifold Within saidwi-nd-box, and a so plurality of rubber tubes severally connecting each of said chambers to said manifold.

In testimony whereof We have hereunto set our hands.

ALFRED MOORHOUSE. 5 SAMUEL G. BOWMAN. 

